Related Articles
Things To Do In Maui For Couples – Maui, with its scenic drives, beautiful beaches and water sports, is a top tourist destination in Hawaii. In one place you can snorkel with sea turtles, learn to surf, visit a national park, watch the sunrise above the clouds, wine tasting, luo tracking, waterfall jumping and relaxing on the beach. In this guide, we’ll cover the best things to do in Maui along with tips to get the best experience.
So far, we have visited Maui twice. The first time was when Tim and I visited Hawaii on our honeymoon in 1999. Most recently, we visited Maui in the summer of 2021. This time, we had the kids with us, if you could even call them that (Tyler was 18 and Kara was a month shy of turning 17). On this trip we repeated many of the same activities and discovered new places.
Things To Do In Maui For Couples
Maui is a great place to visit. From the Hawaiian Islands, this is “very interesting.” With surfing, snorkeling and paddle boarding, this is a great island to visit if you want to be in the water. You can fill your days with beautiful cars, shopping and perfecting your surfing skills, or simply relax under the shade of a palm tree with a hot drink in hand.
Best Things To Do In Maui For Couples Visual Story
There are many different ways to spend your time here, depending on how busy you are. We’ve shared a long list of things to do in Maui, but you don’t need to do them all. At the end of this post, we’ll list the top 10 best practices for first-time visitors.
Maui is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Maui County is made up of four islands: Maui, Moloka’i, Lana’i, and Kaho’olawe.
The island of Maui was formed by two volcanoes. The Greater and Lesser Western Volcanoes form the northwestern part of Maui (West Maui Mountains). The smaller and larger Haleakala are volcanoes that make up the southeastern part of Maui.
Maui’s weather varies greatly. The amount of rain and cloud cover, which is called microclimate, can vary slightly depending on the area.
Here Are The Top 100 Things To Do On Maui
The windward side of Maui, namely parts of the east coast (Hana and Kipahulu) and the north coast (Paia and Haiku) receive the most rainfall. The lower side of the island (Wailea, Makena, Lahaina, and Ka’anapali) receives much less rain.
The difference in weather can be amazing. Most of the road to Hana passes through lush, tropical terrain, but Maui’s west coast is very dry. Hana can get over 100 inches of rain a year, but Lahaina only gets 15 inches of rain.
And when you’re planning your trip, and you’re here, you’ll hear the term “High Country Maui.” This indicates that the Haleakala side of Maui is not located near the coast. Upcountry Maui is the hilly slopes of Haleakala running north from Paia to the south coast.
Here are the best things to do in Maui. You can see them all on a map at the end of this section (or skip now).
Romantic Things To Do On A Maui Honeymoon
No visit to Maui would be complete without visiting at least one beach. With 120 miles of coastline, the list of best beaches in Maui is long. We visited many during our time in Maui. Here is a list of our favorites.
Located in northwest Maui, this is an ideal spot for swimming, kayaking and surfing. This beach is in a protected cave, so the water is calm.
Tyler and Kara spent hours together. There is a small shop on the beach that rents paddle boards and snorkeling gear.
Where to park: There is a small, free public parking lot south of the beach, but you’ll have to be very lucky to find a spot (GPS coordinates: 20.997744, -156.666019). There are also public toilets near the parking lot. When we couldn’t find a spot here, we parked across the street at the Kapalua Golf Course and Tennis Courts parking lot for $10 (GPS coordinates: 20°59’53.1″ N 156°39’53.6″ W).
The 25 Best Things To Do On Maui
On Maui’s north coast, not far from Paia, is Hoakipa Beach. This is a great place to surf and spot sea turtles.
Pro Travel Tip: You can add Ho’okipa Beach on the way to Hana because it’s located on the Hana Highway. Located just a short drive from Mama Asa Fish House, one of the top rated restaurants in Maui. Reservations were mandatory during our visit and were fully booked for the next 3 months.
We visited this beach often because it was near Ka Lani where we stayed in Maui. Tyler and Cara spent a lot of time on the boogie board and the snorkeling was considered excellent.
This huge beach is located southwest of Wailea on Maui. It may also go by the names Oneloa Beach (note that there are two beaches on Maui named Oneloa Beach…the second Oneloa Beach is located near Kapalua in northwest Maui) and Makena Beach since it is located in Makena Beach State Park.
Fun Things To Do In Maui Hawaii For Every Type Of Traveler
This wide sandy beach has lifeguards on duty as well as restrooms and food trucks near the parking lot.
You’ll read about Black Sand Beach later in this article (visiting Waianapanapa State Park is one of the best things to do in Maui), but I couldn’t leave it off this list of beaches.
This beach is small and the water can be rough but the sand is a beautiful jet black color. Because of the hard water, it doesn’t usually make for a good swimming spot, but it’s definitely worth a visit. There are many other interesting things to do in Wai’anapanapa State Park that I will cover later in this guide.
Other popular beaches in Maui include Ka’anapali Beach (north of Lahaina), Wailea Beach (next to Grand Wailea in Wailea), Switch House Beach (on the northeast coast of Maui), and Na’apili Beach (near Kapalua).
Days On The Valley Isle
Dine on traditional Hawaiian cuisine, enjoy live music, and take a cultural and historical tour of Hawaii. Watching the Hula dancers dance to the Hawaiian drums is an unforgettable experience.
The most famous is the Old Lahaina Luau, which is known as the most authentic luau in Maui. We made this twice and loved it. Tickets include dinner, open bar and the performance. The whole experience is amazing and the sunset can be spectacular!
Pro Travel Tip: Book your tickets in advance. Tickets can sell out 3 months in advance, sometimes even sooner, during peak travel seasons.
Watching the sunrise above the clouds from the top of Haleakala is one of the best things to do in Maui.
Top 10 Best Things To Do In Maui
Be prepared to wake up very early to do this. From most places on Maui, it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to drive to the summit of Haleakala. If sunrise is at 6am, plan to check out of your hotel before 4am. I know you’re on vacation, but after doing this twice, it’s worth setting your alarm clock to see this sunrise.
You also need to book in advance. This is such a popular experience that the National Park Service requires advance reservations to avoid overcrowding at the summit.
And note that the weather doesn’t always cooperate. Sometimes the entire summit can be covered in clouds, so the view you woke up to earlier may not be there. Or, there can be no clouds.
If the idea of waking up super early to watch the sunrise isn’t the way you plan to spend your vacation, the sunsets are just as spectacular. And no reservations are required for this experience.
Can’t Miss Things To Do On Maui Hawaii
This short hike is an underrated experience in Maui. In less than two miles, you’ll be treated to waterfalls, several beautiful beaches (including the aforementioned Kapalua Bay Beach), posh resorts, and some of the most spectacular coastal views in Maui.
Kapalua Beach Trail is 1.76 miles point-to-point. It starts at Kapalua Beach and heads north, ending at DT Fleming Beach. The trail alternates between footpaths, rocky, sandy paths and boardwalks. You can get a pair of flip-flops, but some of the steeper sections may be easier to walk in sandals or sneakers.
If you’re short on time or don’t want to make the 4 miles round trip, I recommend walking from Kapalua Bay Beach to Onealoa Bay. A long boardwalk runs along Oneloa Beach. Once you reach the end of the boardwalk, turn around and retrace your steps to Kapalua Beach (this makes the hike about 2 miles round trip). Beyond the boardwalk at Oneloa Bay, the trail is a boardwalk that runs along Lower Honoapilani Road and past the Ritz Carlton, so the views aren’t as good from the first mile.
PRO Travel Tip: I recommend.
